Is Football Racist: BBC Three, 16th July 2012, 9pm
Following a season in which football has been rocked by allegations of racism, former Premier league defender Clarke Carlisle explores how far his profession has really progressed since the dark days of banana throwing on the terraces in this documentary.
Nicknamed 'Britain's brainiest footballer', Clarke has played at all levels from the Premiership to the fourth division, and as the chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association he feels he has a good grasp of the issues confronting football today.
Setting out with the belief that racism has been largely eradicated from the game and that the frenzy surrounding the recent allegations shows the issue is being taken seriously by the authorities, Clarke begins to face a stark realisation on a journey which sees the issue of racism in football come very close to home.
See below for a clip of Clarke speaking to his father about his former football career and how racism affected him on and off the pitch.
Carl also wrote a blog based on his experiences filming and how close it was to home due to the experiences his father endured:
"When BBC Three approached me to present Is Football Racist? I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to gain a real understanding about this very emotive issue, one that I regularly speak about in my capacity at the at the Professional Footballers' Association. I expected to hear some differing experiences to my own but not really anything to challenge my personal beliefs around the issue. In making the documentary I asked my Dad for the first time about his experience of football culture in the 70s and 80s. The emotions it brought up on camera took us both by surprise."
"Making this film has helped me to see football's problem: it's made up of humans. Football is no different to society. It's comprised of young men from local estates up and down the country. Football is not the elixir to cure society's ills, if things need to change then we all have to change them. Football can, however, lead the way by setting an example that is watched by hundreds of millions of people across all ages, faiths and cultures on a weekly basis. Its influence is unparalleled."
To read the rest of Carl's blog, click here.
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